Your Complete Guide To Ashwagandha: Benefits, Uses, Side Effects and More

Your Complete Guide To Ashwagandha: Benefits, Uses, Side Effects and More

If you know anything about traditional medicine, dietary supplements or herbal products, you've probably heard of ashwagandha and its many touted health benefits. But with so many herbal remedies on the market, how can you know if it's the real deal? Here we're going to cover everything you need to know about this popular plant, including how you can benefit from it. Let's get started!

What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is the common name for the Withania somnifera plant, also known as winter cherry (not to be confused with Physalis alkekengi, which is also sometimes called winter cherry). And just to make matters more confusing, you've probably heard it called something else entirely: Indian ginseng. These different names do not denote any difference in the plant itself, they simply reflect different countries' naming preferences.

An evergreen shrub, Withania somnifera is found primarily in India, the Middle East and some parts of Africa. It produces small flowers and fruit, but it's the roots that are sought after, as this is where the largest concentration of active ingredients can be found - over fifty known compounds.

Powdered root of the Withania somnifera plant is usually called ashwagandha root extract, and has been used in medicine for centuries, particularly in Ayurvedic medicine (a traditional Indian medical system). It is currently used worldwide for a variety of purposes, often in the form of dietary supplements, and more extensive research is being conducted into its properties and their potential health benefits every year. We'll look at some of these clinical trials and the benefits of ashwagandha in more detail below.

How Do People Take Ashwagandha?

As with many herbal supplements, there are a variety of ways to take ashwagandha, and different people have different preferences.

Traditionally the entire Withania somnifera plant was used, but it is more common now to find ashwagandha root extract products, or products containing both root and leaf extract. Both usually come in powdered form. The distinctive taste and smell of the Withania somnifera plant usually drives people using ashwagandha extract towards mixing it into tea rather than ingesting it as is. Mixing it with other beneficial or health-boosting ingredients is popular, as this means you can get the benefits of ashwagandha and other Ayurvedic herbs, without compromising your palette.

However, increased usage worldwide now means that capsules and pills of ashwagandha powder are readily available from many health food stores, online and in some pharmacies. One of the advantages of capsules and pills is that they have been standardized to contain measurable amounts of the active compounds within, for more consistent health benefits. Topical creams containing ashwagandha extract are also available in some areas, as are gummies. But for those who dislike taking tablets and powders, or those who are looking for a more natural way to benefit from ashwagandha's active compounds, tea remains the preference.

Dosage

There are no strict rules regarding how much ashwagandha extract people can or should take, but most clinical trials of the substance have people using anything from 120 mg to 5000 mg of ashwagandha per day. The more common range for regular use is between 300 mg and 600 mg of ashwagandha per day, and this is what most dietary supplements and teas containing it will have. It's often recommended to divide it into two doses, one in the morning and one at night, as some research suggests this is most effective.

Time To Efficacy

Ashwagandha takes time to affect the body, so this is not a herbal medicine you can take and expect immediate effects from. Most people taking ashwagandha extract daily see a change within several weeks, but it may take up to three months for the full effects of ashwagandha to appear. All over-the-counter ashwagandha products should have dosing guidelines on them, which you should always follow.

Research suggests that those taking ashwagandha extract daily should pause every three months, to allow their body time to absorb what's in their system, before resuming use.

What Are The Benefits of Ashwagandha?

Well now we know what ashwagandha is and how people take it, but why do people want to? Let's dive into the many purported benefits of ashwagandha to discover which are backed by evidence.

Relieves Stress and Anxiety

Ashwagandha's most commonly cited benefit is that it reduces anxiety and stress levels. This is helpful not just in of itself, but also because stress and anxiety have serious negative effects on the body, so anything that alleviates them has the secondary effect of improving overall mental health, cardiovascular health, immunity, and reducing the likelihood of other physiological issues.

Multiple studies have been conducted into ashwagandha's anxiety and stress relieving properties. A systematic review of all of them shows that participants taking ashwagandha supplements daily reported fewer stress and anxiety symptoms. This was true in randomized double blind placebo controlled clinical studies as well; those taking ashwagandha reported less stress and anxiety than those in the placebo group.

How it works is not yet clearly understood, but it appears to be a combination of several of the ways in which ashwagandha interacts with the body, including:

  • Its influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary system, so that less of the stress hormone cortisol is released (and study participants have indeed recorded reduced cortisol levels)
  • Its anti-inflammatory properties
  • Its anxiolytic (i.e. anxiety-reducing) properties
  • Its interaction with nerve receptors
  • Its impact on serotonin levels

However, the research in this area is still lacking in a few respects; so far there is no consensus on exactly how much ashwagandha is recommended for those suffering from stress and anxiety, or whether long-term use reduces its efficacy. For now all we can definitively say is that ashwagandha has provable, measurable positive effects for mental health, but there is still some way to go before doctors are prescribing it as a standalone medication.

Boosts Cognitive Function

The herbal supplement ashwagandha is classed as a nootropic, meaning a substance that supports brain activity. It potentially supports various cognitive functions, including:

  • Attention span
  • Memory
  • Problem solving skills
  • Mental clarity
  • Mental alertness
  • Planning skills

Research suggests that once again it is a combination of ashwagandha's various properties that is likely responsible for this clinical effectiveness. But while the exact mechanism by which ashwagandha works is still unknown, its legitimacy has been proven. Multiple randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies have shown significant improvement in participants using ashwagandha over those in the placebo group, in memory, social cognition and attention span.

This is true for both healthy adults and for those with pre-existing cognitive dysfunction. In addition, its neuroprotective properties means that ashwagandha may not only help alleviate the symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, but protect against them as well.

Increases Testosterone and Improves Sperm Health

If you're unfamiliar with the importance of maintaining healthy testosterone levels for men's health, then read our in-depth article about exactly this topic here. Suffice to say, a proper hormonal balance is extremely important for all aspects of physical and mental health, not just reproductive health, and significant evidence suggests that ashwagandha supports just this.

Multiple studies have shown that ashwagandha supplements increase blood testosterone levels, luteinizing hormones (which also help the body to produce testosterone), as well as sperm volume, concentration and motility. The results hold up in placebo-controlled trials, and the effective dosage for these improvements seems to be somewhere between 300 mg and 675 mg of ashwagandha a day.

These results are extremely promising for anyone looking for the hormonal and vitality effects associated with healthy testosterone, as well as anyone hoping to improve fertility naturally. And you can improve your testosterone and fertility while protecting your prostate with specialized products made just for men, like Tea For Guy's proprietary Vitality Blend.

Enhances Physical Performance

Over a dozen medical studies have been performed to analyze ashwagandha's impact on physical performance such as strength, cardiorespiratory fitness and recovery-related variables, and the consensus is that taking between 330 mg and 1250 mg of ashwagandha per day can help:

  • Improve muscular strength
  • Reduce muscular fatigue
  • Minimize muscular pain

It is thought that ashwagandha's antioxidant properties are responsible for these effects, as oxidative stress is often the cause of muscular fatigue and slow recovery.

There is also some research that suggests ashwagandha may help to increase your "VO2 max" levels. This is the technical way of saying the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream; the more oxygen you produce, the more intensely you can exercise before becoming tired. Ashwagandha extract increases hemoglobin levels in the blood, which are responsible for binding oxygen and making it usable. Their increase therefore improves blood oxygenation, and subsequently physical performance characteristics such as endurance and strength.

These effects have been produced and measured across multiple studies, but it should be noted that in each the participants were all healthy adults, without pre-existing cardiovascular or muscular issues, so more research is needed before we can say whether ashwagandha would have similar effects on those with pre-existing conditions.

Reduces Blood Sugar Levels

Diabetes is a complex medical issue affecting approximately one in ten people in North America, but blood sugar levels aren't just important for those with the disease; they are also important for healthy people, so that they can remain healthy. Keeping your blood sugar levels in the right range will help protect you from a range of issues over the long term, including vision loss, kidney disease, and heart disease.

Multiple studies show that ashwagandha can decrease the body's:

  • Blood sugar
  • Insulin
  • Lipids
  • Oxidative stress markers

Research is ongoing into how ashwagandha can be incorporated into treatment plans for those with pre-existing diabetes, as diabetes medications can potentially interact with it, but for those who are currently without blood sugar issues, ashwagandha supplementation is a great preventative measure to help lower blood sugar levels naturally.

Improves Sleep Quality

Sleep, diet, hormonal balance, immunity and stress are all pieces of the same puzzle, so it's not particularly surprising that something that lowers stress, maintains testosterone levels, and improves blood sugar also has a positive effect on sleep. In fact, it is probably partly due to ashwagandha's effect on sleep quality that perceived stress decreases in its users. They are all part of the same virtuous circle.

Although more research is needed to quantify the extent of ashwagandha's benefit, initial studies show that taking a small dose of ashwagandha twice a day improves sleep quality, helps people fall asleep faster, and increases sleep duration. There are a few potential reasons for this, but the most likely culprit is the ethylene glycol found in ashwagandha. This substance induces drowsiness.

Evidence suggests that the effects of ashwagandha on sleep quality are more pronounced in those who suffer from insomnia, but they are measurable across all demographics, regardless of gender, age or pre-existing conditions.

Improves Arthritis Symptoms

Unlike some of the other areas of benefit, which are heavily researched, there is currently only a couple of studies into ashwagandha's effect on arthritis - but the news so far is hopeful. Small doses of ashwagandha helped study participants feel better and experience fewer arthritis symptoms (such as joint swelling) while taking the supplement. This may be because ashwagandha has anti-inflammatory effects, which can impact not just arthritis but other inflammation-related ailments as well.

Other Potential Benefits of Ashwagandha

The benefits listed above are those that have scientific research corroborating them, but other potential benefits exist - reported by users and physicians, but not yet supported by extensive, placebo-controlled clinical trials. More research is needed to understand the scope and scale of these benefits, which include:

  • Supporting the immune system
  • Increasing energy levels
  • Optimizing thyroid hormones
  • Improving skin conditions
  • Lowering blood pressure
  • Lowering cholesterol
  • Limiting the activity of cancer cells
  • Protecting against stress-induced ulcers

Are There Any Side Effects of Taking Ashwagandha?

As has always been understood by Ayurvedic medicine, the human body is a complex organism - and we don't fully understand exactly how ashwagandha works with it. This means that even a plant as beneficial as Withania somnifera is not without some potential side effects, although the number of people that experience them is extremely small. In rare cases, users might get:

  • Drowsiness
  • Indigestion
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Itchy rash
  • Lack of appetite

Even rarer than these are instances of ashwagandha induced liver injury; however this seems to only occur in those with pre-existing liver disease, which makes drug induced hepatocellular injury more likely. And it should be noted that the majority of people who experience side effects take very high doses of ashwagandha daily - typically over 1200 mg of ashwagandha per day. So, as with anything, moderation is crucial to safe consumption. This is another reason why drinking teas with ashwagandha may be preferable, as they are easy to incorporate into your regular diet without the risk of overwhelming your system.

Is Ashwagandha Root Extract Safe To Use?

For the vast majority of people, ashwagandha and its extracts are safe to use, although as mentioned above, proper dosing should be adhered to at all times.

There are some groups that should avoid ashwagandha though, and this includes:

  • People who are pregnant (as the effect of ashwagandha on fetuses is unknown)
  • People who are breastfeeding (as the effect of ashwagandha on babies is unknown)
  • People with thyroid disease (as thyroid hormone medications, taken in conjunction with ashwagandha, may result in excessive circulating thyroid hormone concentrations) and subclinical hypothyroid patients
  • People about to have surgery (as ashwagandha's sedative effect may be compounded by anesthetic)
  • People with autoimmune disorders (as ashwagandha's immune boosting effect may counteract immunosuppressants)
  • People with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (as increased testosterone levels may be harmful to the prostate)
  • People with liver disease (as ashwagandha may damage the liver)
  • People who have recently had a kidney transplant (as ashwagandha's immunostimulatory effects may lead to kidney transplant rejection)

There are some medications that may interact with ashwagandha as well; see below for more on this.

Find Reputable Ashwagandha Supplements and Products

All of the research indicates that most people can take ashwagandha safely for up to three months at a time, but it is worth noting that oral supplements and herbal products are not regulated in the same way as medicines. This means the safety (and content) of different products can vary. So do your research before buying any supplement or herbal product; avoid brands that are not transparent about their full ingredients or how they source them, or any products that use additives, dyes or bleaches. Organic products are usually the safest as they won't have come into contact with any harsh chemicals.

Does Ashwagandha Root Extract Interact With Any Other Drugs?

The pharmacological actions of ashwagandha are far-reaching, so it's no surprise that it can interact with other active substances in what are, sometimes, undesirable ways. Certain medications are known to be compromised by taking ashwagandha, and these include:

  • Diabetes or other blood sugar medications
  • Medications to lower blood pressure
  • Immunosuppressants
  • Sedatives
  • Thyroid hormone pills and other medications associated with thyroid function, or other hormonal medications

As with any medication or supplement, it's best to speak to your doctor if you are at all concerned about what you're taking.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ashwagandha

What are the benefits of taking ashwagandha?

The positive effects of ashwagandha are extensive; this simple herb can reduce stress, relieve anxiety symptoms, improve cognitive functions, protect against neurodegenerative diseases, improve athletic performance, increase sleep quality and lower blood sugar. In addition, some evidence suggests that ashwagandha may also support the immune system, help the entire body in a multitude of ways by reducing inflammation, and provide many secondary effects through the reduction of cortisol levels (associated with stress levels).

How much ashwagandha should I take, and when?

Research suggests that it is best to take between 300 mg and 600 mg of ashwagandha daily, split into two doses. Using either ashwagandha root extract or root and leaf extract is beneficial.

How quickly does ashwagandha work?

Ashwagandha may take up to three months to show results, but many people start to see effects within a few weeks.

Are there any side effects of taking ashwagandha?

As with any herbal products, not everyone reacts in the same way; mild side effects from ashwagandha are uncommon, but can include stomach distress, drowsiness, and in much rarer cases, ashwagandha induced liver injury.

Is Indian ginseng different from ashwagandha?

No. Indian ginseng is just another name for ashwagandha.

Is there ashwagandha root extract in all dietary supplements?

No, different dietary supplements contain different ingredients, so if you are keen to benefit from using ashwagandha daily, you need to find one that lists it as a primary ingredient. A common solution for those desiring the effects of ashwagandha without taking pills is to drink ashwagandha-infused tea.

Does ashwagandha reduce anxiety?

Yes, ashwagandha has been proven to reduce anxiety and perceived stress. If you're seeking stress relieving solutions without resorting to harsh medicines, ashwagandha may offer you the natural solution you've been looking for. Placebo-controlled research shows that regular use has a measurable impact on cortisol levels, which has the effect of reducing stress.

Do I need to follow other traditional medicine treatments to see benefits from ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha has been used for centuries as part of Ayurvedic medicine, but that does not mean that only those practicing Ayurveda can take it, or benefit from it. Ayurveda sees the human body as a whole, and proponents of it advocate for using many different types of Ayurvedic drug, including ashwagandha extract, as part of a holistic approach to bodily harmony. However the pharmacological actions of the Withania somnifera plant have been proven effective regardless of the belief system or medical practices of its users. So it does not matter if you practice Ayurveda or not - you can still take ashwagandha and benefit from it.

Can ashwagandha root extract help with bipolar disorder?

There is some evidence from a randomized double blind placebo controlled study that suggests that ashwagandha may improve certain cognitive functions in those with bipolar disorder. However, more research is needed.

Does ashwagandha aid in weight loss?

Potentially. Chronic stress is an increasing common problem, as is stress-related weight gain. By reducing stress, ashwagandha may inadvertently act as a weight-loss remedy, in that less stress usually means better appetite control and more consistent weight management. So weight loss can be seen as one of the indirect effects of ashwagandha.

Is ashwagandha a sleep med?

Sort of. Ashwagandha is a herbal product that has been shown via placebo controlled study to improve sleep quality, sleep duration, and sleep latency. So it can work with similar effect as sleep medication. Improved sleep is another way in which ashwagandha helps to reduce stress, as better sleep quality improves mood.

What does ashwagandha mean?

Ashwagandha is a Sanskrit word meaning “smell of the horse” - referring to the plant's scent.

Does ashwagandha help with cancer?

Cancer (and cancer treatments) have many effects on the body, including stress, anxiety and fatigue. Ashwagandha offers non-pharmaceutical relief for some of these symptoms. There is also some data that suggests that ashwagandha may possess anti-cancer properties, but at present there is no placebo controlled study to verify this.

Can ashwagandha cause a false positive drug test?

No; as a herbal supplement, ashwagandha will not produce a positive result on a drug screening test. This is one of the many benefits of using an all-natural ashwagandha product rather than harsher chemicals to reduce stress and improve quality of life.

Links To More Data and Research

  • All about Ayurveda - here.
  • Extensive research on Withania somnifera and its place in Ayurveda can be found in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, or J Ayurveda Integr Med - here.
  • A comprehensive review of all of the research into Withania somnifera - here.
  • Anxiolytic effects of Withania somnifera - a randomized double blind placebo controlled clinical study - here.
  • Arthritis and Withania somnifera - here.
  • Arthritic knee pain and Withania somnifera - a randomized placebo controlled trial - here.
  • Breast cancer patients and Withania somnifera - here.
  • Cognitive dysfunction and Withania somnifera - a systematic review of its clinical use - here.
  • Diabetes and Withania somnifera - a systematic review and meta analysis - here.
  • Drug interactions with Withania somnifera - here.
  • Insomnia and Withania somnifera - a randomized double blind placebo controlled study - here.
  • Kidney transplant rejection and Withania somnifera - a case study - here.
  • Male infertility and Withania somnifera - a systematic review and meta-analysis - here.
  • Neuropsychiatric disorders and Withania somnifera - here.
  • Physical performance and Withania somnifera - a systematic review and meta analysis - here.
  • Sleep and Withania somnifera - a systematic review and meta-analysis - here.
  • Stress and anxiety and Withania somnifera - a randomized controlled trial - here.
  • Stress and anxiety and Withania somnifera - a systematic review of human trials - here.